Rob Kirschner joins TCA as Legal and Policy Director
The Conservation Angler is very pleased to announce that Rob Kirschner has joined the organization as our Legal and Policy Director.
Rob is a passionate angler, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, whose love for wild nature, healthy skepticism of authority, and affinity for the underdog naturally led him to become a wild fish attorney. Rob started working on wild fish issues twenty years ago, during his college days at Washington State University. After falling in love with steelhead fishing on the Clearwater, Snake, and Grande Ronde Rivers, there was no way Rob could stay out of the fights to restore healthy wild steelhead runs and to remove the four lower Snake River dams. After internship stints at Save Our Wild Salmon and American Rivers, Rob decided that going to law school was the next logical step.
Rob attended Lewis and Clark Law School, where he focused on environmental law and clerked for Columbia Riverkeeper, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In 2007, Rob graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School with a JD and a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.
After graduation, Rob clerked for a trial court judge, worked for several years in a civil litigation firm, and volunteered pro bono for WaterWatch of Oregon, before joining The Freshwater Trust, where he focused on water law and instream flow restoration.
In his free time, Rob enjoys fly fishing for steelhead and traveling with his wife.
Rob looks forward to rolling up his sleeves and defending wild fish, something he is not shy saying.
"Wild salmon and steelhead face serious threats throughout their entire range. Protecting and restoring these fish will require us to fight the big fights, use the best available science, and rely on our nation’s bedrock environmental laws. History shows that a small, dedicated group of people who put these tools to use can tilt the scales in favor of our natural environment and imperiled wild fish. The Conservation Angler is a small but growing force to be reckoned with, and I look forward to representing the organization and working closely with our allies and supporters. Collectively, we will turn the tide in favor of wild fish."
In just a few short weeks, the impacts of Rob’s work is already evident. TCA is grateful for the support of our donors and Board, and we look forward to sharing much more with all our wild fish advocates and supporters.
